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I wrote back with a "heads up" fact that I learned here about how just adulterated US horse meat is. Also, I added that people tend to eat the loins-- not a huge slab of rump, and that horsemeat is leaner than beef but sweeter.

Did I get that right? Anything you'd add?

FYI: We do have a local auction here that has a few KB's skulking around. Also, we have a safari/big cat park in the middle of the state that will accept horses without too much muss or fuss about their drug history.

We knew some people who had a son who butchered a horse to put in the freezer like a beef. They were surprised at how good it was. I wondered about with- drawl times from routine vaccines the horse may have had? We use dewormers on beef, sheep, goats and pigs so I wouldn't be too concerned about that. I would be leery about buying " meat" we hadn't butchered here on our place though.......

A nicely fed horse with a known history and not medicated prior to slaughter is likely healthier than the steak you can pick up out of your grocers freezer. It's my understanding that the meat is lean and has more iron than beef.

While I wouldn't eat one of MY horses, I would try horse if it were available and I knew it was humanely slaughtered.

I've got one that I'd sell to someone to butcher as long as I knew they would kill her humanely. Dumpling is fat and has had no exposure to drugs. She is older, probably around 15 or so. Does that make them tougher? She is also crippled, has heaves, doesn't like people and is prone to kick.

I've got one that I'd sell to someone to butcher as long as I knew they would kill her humanely. Dumpling is fat and has had no exposure to drugs. She is older, probably around 15 or so. Does that make them tougher? She is also crippled, has heaves, doesn't like people and is prone to kick.

I would opt for turning her into burger, not steaks, just like you'd do with an older cow.

I've got one that I'd sell to someone to butcher as long as I knew they would kill her humanely. Dumpling is fat and has had no exposure to drugs. She is older, probably around 15 or so. Does that make them tougher? She is also crippled, has heaves, doesn't like people and is prone to kick.

So you never gave her a tab of bute for her pain from being "crippled" or treated her heaves? That is sickening.

I am certain several of these posts are trolling for reactions, not worth getting up in arms.

That said, this is not a troll post: I lived in France for a little while, and I ate horsemeat while I lived there.

I didn't post this here so as to troll. I don't have an opinion one way or the other for this CL-er, as I believe that horses here in Oregon are going to be shipped to slaughter one way or another. Since that's the case, I did want to offer some of what I had learned here so that this person wasn't hurt by the adulterated meet we have floating around in the US. I have read Upton Sinclair's The Jungle (1906), so I can't *not* say something if I think someone is going after gnarly meat.

Don't believe me?

Here's the e-mail I send to the CL-er:

"Dear HorseMeat Curious,

No comment or judgment on your interest, but you should know that most horses slaughtered in the US have received lots and lots of medications during their life. European eaters frown on this and meat-animal horses are much better regulated there.

Just a friendly "heads up" for you.

Oh, and I think folks prefer the muscles from the loin. The larger muscles from shoulder and rump are tougher. Also, they describe horse meat as leaner than beef, but sweeter, too.

I've read that teenaged horses are more tender, and foals are quite tough--the opposite of beef.

This time of year, the hide can also be quite nice to hang on the wall or display on the floor

The old timers who lived through the formative years of the west in both countries would eat old horses. This practice carried on through the 30s and tinto the 40s and still continues in some very remote areas. These people always said the older the animal the more tender the meat and young animals were like shoe leather. When you are in the middle of nowhere, meat is meat, and sometimes a horse had to be shot (no vets then in most areas) and the old waste not, want not attitude took over.

OP, sorry, my troll suspicion wasn't directed at you at all. Some of the subsequent comments seemed purposely outrageous/tongue in cheek.
Would be interesting to hear if the CLer responds to your email.

I didn't post this here so as to troll. I don't have an opinion one way or the other for this CL-er, as I believe that horses here in Oregon are going to be shipped to slaughter one way or another. Since that's the case, I did want to offer some of what I had learned here so that this person wasn't hurt by the adulterated meet we have floating around in the US. I have read Upton Sinclair's The Jungle (1906), so I can't *not* say something if I think someone is going after gnarly meat.

Don't believe me?

Here's the e-mail I send to the CL-er:

"Dear HorseMeat Curious,

No comment or judgment on your interest, but you should know that most horses slaughtered in the US have received lots and lots of medications during their life. European eaters frown on this and meat-animal horses are much better regulated there.

Just a friendly "heads up" for you.

Oh, and I think folks prefer the muscles from the loin. The larger muscles from shoulder and rump are tougher. Also, they describe horse meat as leaner than beef, but sweeter, too.

Best wishes,

-[mvp]"

European eaters don't just frown at eating horsemeat that is from horses given banned substances. The meds we use are BANNED in animals for food.